Do I need a written employment contract for every employee in Queensland?

While the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) does not explicitly mandate a single written document, failing to execute a written contract creates immense legal exposure. Without a written agreement, the terms of employment default to the applicable modern award and the National Employment Standards. A written contract allows a startup to set lawful terms beyond the minimum, including confidentiality obligations, post-employment restraints of trade, and crucially, express intellectual property assignment clauses to ensure the startup owns the code its developers write.

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